IP Policy
SFU's IP Policy (R30.03) is a creator-owned policy that allows creators to maintain control of their intellectual property and elect how/if they wish to interact with the TLO.
This is designed primarily to incentivize and empower the creators of IP to harness the creation and translate the technology from SFU labs to the world at large.
Conversely, it also provides industry partners with incentivized terms to collaborate, partner and/or license the technology from the SFU creators to allow for a more streamlined pathway of technology transfer.
Who is bound by the IP Policy?
SFU's IP Policy applies to all University Members. University Members include employees and other individuals, students, post-doctoral fellows and research grant employees, affiliated with the university who use facilities, resources or funds administered by the university in the course of university-related scholarly and creative activities. This is further articulated in the full policy R 30.03.
Does a student own their IP?
Generally, a student owns their created IP—unless the student has signed an agreement specifying an alternate arrangement of IP rights. For example, an alternate arrangement may include a student being hired as a research assistant, whereby the student signed a Research Assistant agreement with their supervisor having an IP section specifying alternate IP rights distribution. This is further articulated in the full policy R 30.03.
Does a professor own their IP?
Generally, a professor does own their created IP—unless the professor has signed an agreement specifying an alternate arrangement of IP rights. For example, an alternate arrangement may include a professor conducting researched under a sponsored reserach agreement having having an IP section specifying alternate IP rights distribution. This is further articulated in the full policy R 30.03.
If I own my own IP, does SFU take any Revenue if I Commercialize myself?
If an SFU creator commercializes themselves, without the assistance of the TLO, the SFU creator shares 15% of annual Revenue received by each of the creators (in excess of $25,000) with SFU. This is further articulated in Appendix A of R 30.03.
What are the Terms offered by the TLO for Commercialization Aid?
If an SFU creator seeks aid from the TLO, and the TLO approves granting aid to the Creator, the TLO will provide a host of commercializatio services (including full payment and management of IP) and provide the following revenue sharing terms:
- Revenue will be shared 50:50 between the SFU creator and SFU, until Direct Costs are recovered
- Upon recovery of Direct Costs, 70% of the Revenue will be shared with the SFU creator and 30% will be shared with SFU
This is further articulated in Appendix A of R 30.03.
Learn more about IP & SFU's IP Policy
Take TLO's Canvas courses, “Intellectual Property Primer” and “R 30.03 (SFU IP Policy) Overview."
These courses take less than an hour to complete and provide the subscriber with a overview of all types of IP, as well as an overview of how SFU’s IP Policy works. This is a mixed media course that includes video, text and exercises.
There is a course designed for SFU students and a course designed for SFU faculty.